The Ratman's Notebooks
by Stephen Gilbert (1969)
Until relatively recently, all of Stephen Gilbert's books
were long out of print, including his most famous work—The Ratman's Notebooks.
This late 60s thriller is immensely
entertaining and a quick, easy read. It was the basis for the
made-for-television horror classic Willard, its sequel Ben, and the 2003
theatrically released remake starring Crispin Glover in the title role.
Willard, or The Ratman, is much less sympathetically portrayed in the novel. In
fact, he's quite a fiend, with a huge appetite for hatred and a disdain for
humankind as a whole. Armed with an army of rats who will do his bidding, he
eventually bites off more than he can chew, putting everything he's worked for
at risk. (Buy it Here)
Completely Doomed
by Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson,
David J. Schow, and F. Paul Wilson (2007)
This underrated collection of black and white horror comics
adapts stories by genre heavyweights Bloch, Matheson, Wilson, and Schow. Not
every story is a winner, but the artwork is consistently pretty great, the
variety admirable, and the overall tone a perfect dose of nostalgia for fans of
comic books in the vein of Tales From The Crypt and Eerie. It's a fun, gruesome
read. The final story in the collection, F. Paul Wilson's “Faces”, still creeps
into my thoughts from time to time—it's truly haunting. (Buy it Here)
Rasputin: A Short Life
by Frances Welch (2014)
Why not read a little nonfiction in October? If you're
looking for the definitive historical account of Rasputin and his mysterious
death, there are other books that go into great, painstaking detail about the
Mad Monk's bizarre and brief influence over the Tsar and Tsarita of Russia.
Frances Welch's account of “dark forces” allegedly controlling Russia focuses more on
the spooky rumors and outrageous accounts of Rasputin. Reputedly he could
expand and contract his pupils at will and had powers of hypnosis. Many thought
him to be mixed up in the occult, others believed he was a direct line to God.
Did you know Rasputin “healed” some women by massaging their butts? Don't even
get me started on how many people claimed to own his severed penis after his
death. But most interesting of all is
how many times his corpse was stolen, once even rising up while on fire
(probably because the grave robbers didn't cut his tendons before trying to
cremate him, but hey, it's still pretty creepy). There are few historical
figures as captivating, alluring, and ultimately repulsive as Rasputin. (Buy it Here)
The Great God Pan
by Arthur Machen (1894)
Short, atmospheric, and still quite potent despite its age,
Arthur Machen's 1894 novella The Great God Pan is the perfect read for
Halloween. At the time of its release it was dismissed as far too grotesque and
decadent (those sound like good selling points to me). It has since gained
quite a following. Stephen King once said, “The Great God Pan surmounts its
rather clumsy prose and works its way relentlessly into the reader's
terror-zone. How many sleepless nights has it caused? God knows, but a few of
them were mine.” It's best to go into this one blind. (Buy it Here)
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